The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of hardy Dianthus, also known as garden pink, which is grown for use as a flowering plant for pots and containers and for planting in the garden and landscape. The new cultivar is known botanically as Dianthus×hybrida and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘WP10 SAB06’.
‘WP10 SAB06’ is a complex hybrid plant that is the product of a long term breeding program conducted by the inventor in a cultivated area of Houndspool, Dawlish, Devon, United Kingdom. The inventor selected ‘WP10 SAB06’ in 2006 for its fragrant flowers which are double and vibrant orange-pink in color.
‘WP10 SAB06’ resulted from the controlled pollination between two unreleased and unpatented selections of Dianthus from the inventor's breeding program, namely Selection ‘Marcella’ as male parent and Selection ‘SCA 03.10’ as female parent.
‘WP10 SAB06’ is distinguishable from the male parent as follows: The flowers of the male parent are double and orange-pink in color, whereas the flowers of ‘WP10 SAB06’ are double and vibrant orange-pink in color. ‘WP10 SAB06’ is distinguishable from the female parent as follows: The female plant has a spreading vegetative habit with thin leaves and produces semi-double flowers with smooth edged petals, whereas ‘WP10 SAB06’ has a compact habit and broader leaves and produces fully double flowers with crenellated edged petals.
The variety of Dianthus which is considered by the inventor to most closely resemble ‘WP10 SAB06’ is Dianthus ‘WP08 ULR03’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,396). ‘WP08 ULR03’ is similarly double. However, ‘WP08 ULR03’ has a less compact habit, the foliage is grey-green and the flowers are pink in color rather than the vibrant orange-pink color of ‘WP10 SAB06’.
Asexual reproduction of ‘WP10 SAB06’ was first accomplished by the inventor in 2006 in a cultivated area of Houndspool, United Kingdom. The method of asexual propagation used was vegetative cuttings. Since that time the characteristics of the new cultivar have been determined stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.